Rodger Fox
Rodger Fox ONZM | |
---|---|
Background information | |
Born | [1] Christchurch, New Zealand | 7 January 1953
Genres | Jazz |
Occupation(s) | Musician, band leader, educator |
Instruments | Trombone |
Website | rodgerfoxbigband |
Rodger Denis Fox ONZM (born 7 January 1953) is a New Zealand trombonist, jazz educator, recording artist and leader of the Rodger Fox Big Band. He founded his jazz band in 1973 and has toured extensively in New Zealand and overseas, playing at international jazz festivals including Montreux and Monterey. He is a jazz educator and teaches at the New Zealand School of Music at Victoria University of Wellington.
Early life[]
Fox was born in Christchurch in 1953, the son of Louis and Betty Fox.[2] Both his parents were musicians. Betty taught piano and Louis played in and conducted brass bands, becoming head of music at Mana College in Wellington where his son was educated.[2] Fox initially played the trumpet, changing to the trombone when that instrument was needed in the Mana College band.[2][3] He played in the local brass band, the Wellington Youth Orchestra[4] and the National Youth Orchestra in 1969 and 1970.[5] He passed the Royal College of Music trombone and theory exam in 1970.[1] His brother played the trombone and his sisters the clarinet and saxophone.[6] On leaving school Fox worked for Chappells Music Publishing and in the Golden Horn Music shop.[6] His favourite jazz band was Woody Herman's and he acknowledges Herman as a huge influence on his playing.[2][6]
Career[]
Fox was intending to pursue a career in classical music; he was offered a place as an orchestral trainee with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra but brass players were not accepted onto the scheme that year as brass and woodwind players were not finding employment.[2][4] Instead he joined the band Quincy Conserve, which he credits as an invaluable training ground for running a band and touring.[2]
In 1973 Fox and Alan Nelson formed an 18 piece band, the Golden Horn Big Band, named after the music shop where he worked.[2][7] At the time Fox found that older musicians were not affording younger players the opportunities to play which spurred him to start his own band.[2][3] The Rodger Fox Big Band succeeded the Golden Horn band.[7]
The Rodger Fox Big Band has toured in New Zealand and overseas, playing at jazz festivals in Monterey, Montreux, Wichita and Manly.[2][8] In 1978 they toured Australia.[6] They appeared at the Montreux Jazz Festival in 1980 and 1981, the first New Zealand band to play at Montreux.[9] In 1980 they toured in the United States and recorded an album at the Vanguard Studio in New York. The following year they toured Poland and played at Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club in London.[6] They played at the Monterey Jazz Festival in 2001, 2006 and 2017.[10][11][12]
Fox has maintained that New Zealand does not have its own local jazz style and that jazz is an American music.[3] In support of this view and to encourage the development of jazz playing and his initiatives in jazz education Fox has brought many American jazz musicians to New Zealand to perform with his band: singer Diane Schuur, trumpeter Arturo Sandoval, pianist Bill Cunliffe, trumpeter Maynard Ferguson, saxophonist Bruce Johnstone, saxophonist Michael Brecker, trumpeter Bobby Shew, guitarist Robben Ford, singer Lydia Pense, and singer Randy Crawford.[2][3] The band's 20th anniversary tour starred trombonist Bill Reichenbach, trumpeter Gary Grant, singer David Clayton-Thomas (vocalist of Blood, Sweat and Tears) and local musician Midge Marsden.[6] Organist Joey de Francesco and singer Brenda Boykin performed with the band for the 40th anniversary tour.[13]
Fox has collaborated with classical musicians. In 2016 he toured his band with the New Zealand Symphony in a programme called Swing into Spring conducted by Hamish McKeich with trumpet and flugelhorn player Allen Vituzzi as soloist.[14][15] Fox and New Zealand classical pianist Michael Houstoun worked together to record a CD Concerti in 2017.[16] They collaborated again in 2021 at the Wellington Jazz Festival with Houstoun playing compositions and arrangements by Bill Cunliffe.[17] In 2020 tenor Simon O'Neill performed Wagner arias accompanied by the band at a concert in Palmerston North.[18]
Fox's band has provided work opportunities for jazz musicians and he regards the band as a training ground for young players. He has advocated for better funding of jazz performance and for a jazz orchestra. He maintains that while the country has a national orchestra, a ballet company and regional orchestras there is no national big band to provide opportunities and employment for younger players.[3] The band has run as a non-profit organisation with the earnings being used to promote educational opportunities, to bring musicians from overseas to work with the band, or to fund trips to jazz festivals or jazz education conferences.[19]
In the early 1980s Fox, saxophonist Colin Hemmingsen and percussionist Bud Jones established the first jazz courses at the Wellington Polytechnic (later Massey University).[3] Fox became a senior lecturer at the New Zealand School of Music in Wellington (initially a Massey University and Victoria University joint venture but later part of Victoria University).[4][12][20]
As well as his university teaching Fox has tutored and mentored young jazz musicians in schools and at other jazz workshops.[21] In 2019 he organised a series of one day workshops and concerts around the country, delivered by the band and international musicians and educators. The aim was to give students exposure to world-class educators and performers and a greater understanding of jazz artistry.[22]
In 1999 he attended the Jazz Educators' Conference in Anaheim[7] and in 2020 the Jazz Education Network conference in New Orleans.[23]
Awards and honours[]
Fox has won the Aotearoa Music Award (Tui) for New Zealand jazz recording of the year on four occasions: in 1983, 2001, 2004 and 2012.[24] In the 2003 Queen's Birthday Honours, he was appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to music.[25] He was conferred with an honorary doctorate (DMus) by Massey University in 2005.[26]
Selected discography[]
Year | Title | Label | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
2021 | Michael Houstoun/Rodger Fox Big Band Live | Digital | |
2021 | The Rodger Fox Big Band Live at The Rogue & Vagabond | Digital | |
2020 | You gotta know | T-Bone | Recorded at Bunker Studio, New York |
2020 | Foxpop Vol. 1 | Digital. Reimagining Kiwi classics | |
2019 | Plays New Zealand | Digital. NZ composers | |
2018 | Hipwalk | SkyDeck | Digital |
2017 | Concerti | Rattle | With Michael Houstoun |
2016 | Funkbone experience | SkyDeck | With Dewayne Pate and David Matthews |
2016 | X: Plays New Zealand | Rattle | |
2015 | Have yourself a swinging' Merry Christmas | Digital | |
2013 | The Capitol sessions | Capitol | The Rodger Fox Wellington Jazz Orchestra |
2011 | Journey home | The Rodger Fox Wellington Jazz Orchestra | |
2011 | Rodger Fox Big Band & Midge Marsden Are Back In Town | Digital | |
2007 | No exit | Manu Jazz | |
2004 | A rare connection | T-Bone | With Bill Cunliffe and Jon Papenbrook |
2004 | Big blues | T-Bone | With Erna Ferry |
2002 | Warriors | T-Bone | With Bill Cunliffe |
2000 | Ain't that the truth | T-Bone | With Jon Papenbrook |
2000 | Devil may care | T-Bone | With Erna Ferry, Jon Papenbrook and Bill Cunliffe |
2000 | Let the good times roll | T-Bone | With Midge Marsden |
2000 | Randy Crawford & The Rodger Fox Big Band Live In Concert | Digital | |
1998 | Xtra juicy : the New Zealand collection | T-Bone | |
1998 | Back to being one | T-Bone | With Bill Cunliffe, Tom Warrington, Steve Houghton, Bruce Paulson and Bill Reichenbach |
1993 | Good news | T-Bone | |
1989 | The Rodger Fox Big Band : an all-star collection 1974 to 1989 | Jayrem | With Midge Marsden, David Feehan and Mary Yandall |
1987 | Mary Yandall and Rodger Fox | Circular Records | With Mary Yandall |
1986 | The Rodger Fox Big Band with Bill Reichenbach and Gary Grant | Circular Records | |
1984 | Something juicy | Circular Records | With Bill Reichenbach |
1981 | The Rodger Fox Big Band live : 15th Montreux Jazz Festival | Circular Records | |
1981 | Heavy company | Circular Records | With Bobby Shew |
1981 | The New York tapes | Vanguard | |
1980 | The Rodger Fox Big Band live : 14th Montreux Jazz Festival Switzerland | Ode | |
1978 | Time piece | Ode | |
1977 | It's a dream | Ode | Golden Horn Big Band |
References[]
- ^ Jump up to: a b Lambert, Max; Traue, James Edward; Taylor, Alister (1991). Who's Who in New Zealand, 1991 (12th ed.). Auckland: Octopus. pp. 210f. ISBN 9780790001302.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h i j Mitchell, Rob (25 May 2018). "National Portrait: Rodger Fox". Stuff. Retrieved 17 June 2021.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f Meehan, Norman (2016). New Zealand jazz life. Victoria University Press. Wellington. pp. 32, 58, 100, 120–121, 177. ISBN 978-1-77656-092-9. OCLC 961019245.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c Tuckett, Graeme (February 2015). "Rodger Fox". Fishhead. 45: 48–50.
- ^ Tonks, Joy (2011). The NZSO National Youth Orchestra: fifty years and beyond. Wellington: Victoria University Press. p. 258. ISBN 978-0-86473-609-3. OCLC 456176486.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f Sharp, Iain (March 1994). "Rodger Fox". Pacific Way. 70: 35–37.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c "Play it louder Rodger". Evening Post. 23 October 1999. p. 11.
- ^ "SOUNZ Rodger Fox". sounz.org.nz. Retrieved 17 June 2021.
- ^ O'Neil, Andrea (11 March 2013). "Celebrating 40 years of jazz with Titahi Bay-raised Rodger Fox". Stuff. Retrieved 17 June 2021.
- ^ "NZ Live: The Rodger Fox Big Band". RNZ. 23 June 2017. Retrieved 17 June 2021.
- ^ "The Rodger Fox Big Band – On Stage with the Best of the Best". www.scoop.co.nz. 31 July 2017. Retrieved 17 June 2021.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Rodger Fox Profile". people.wgtn.ac.nz. Retrieved 19 June 2021.
- ^ "Forty years of jazz for Rodger Fox". Newshub. 2 September 2013. Retrieved 17 June 2021.
- ^ Fox, Rebecca (15 September 2016). "Swing and strings". Otago Daily Times Online News. Retrieved 17 June 2021.
- ^ Button, John (4 September 2016). "Concert Review: Swing into Spring, NZSO & The Rodger Fox Big Band". Stuff. Retrieved 17 June 2021.
- ^ "The Classics: 20th February". Otago Daily Times Online News. 20 February 2017. Retrieved 17 June 2021.
- ^ "Michael Houstoun and Rodger Fox – at the jazz festival". Scoop. 25 May 2021. Retrieved 19 June 2021.
- ^ Hopwood, Malcolm (21 October 2020). "Great Wagnerian jazz sung and played by quality musicians". Stuff. Retrieved 17 June 2021.
- ^ Bollinger, Nick (12 June 2004). "Rodger Fox". New Zealand Listener: 10.
- ^ "Big Band CD hits the shelves". www.massey.ac.nz. 2009. Retrieved 14 June 2021.
- ^ Gastmeier, Hayley (12 August 2017). "Jazzing it up with the Fox". Times Age. Retrieved 14 June 2021.
- ^ Fox, Rodger (May 2019). "Jazz on the road and the jazz gala". Tune me in. 14 (1): 22–24.
- ^ "Rodger Fox invited to world's largest educational event | Scoop News". www.scoop.co.nz. 26 August 2019. Retrieved 19 June 2021.
- ^ "Aotearoa Music Awards | Award History". Retrieved 17 June 2021.
- ^ "The Queen's Birthday Honours List 2003". Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 2 June 2003. Retrieved 14 June 2021.
- ^ "Honorary Doctorate for Jazz Legend". www.massey.ac.nz. 2005. Retrieved 14 June 2021.
External links[]
- Photo of Rodger Fox conducting the New Zealand School of Music Big Band, 2013 on Te Ara
- Brilliant Brass – Rodger Fox. Interview with David Bremner on RNZ, 2015
- NZ Live – the Rodger Fox Big Band. RNZ, 2017
- Rodger Fox profile and discography on AudioCulture
- Rodger Fox Big Band website
- 1953 births
- Living people
- Officers of the New Zealand Order of Merit
- 20th-century New Zealand musicians
- New Zealand jazz musicians
- Trombonists
- 21st-century New Zealand musicians
- People from Christchurch
- People educated at Mana College
- Victoria University of Wellington faculty